California Division of Gambling Control Investigation Leads to Arrest of Santa Rosa Bookmaker

Friday, August 6, 2004

Contact: (415) 703-5837, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov

(SACRAMENTO) – Attorney General Bill Lockyer announced that on Wednesday, August 4 agents from the Attorney General's Division of Gambling Control arrested a Santa Rosa man, William Anthony Armbright, on 13 felony counts of illegal bookmaking following a nine-month investigation and sting operation.

Since last October, special agents from the Division of Gambling Control and investigators from the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control regularly placed bets with Armbright, 30, on various sporting events. Armbright used the Internet for his illegal bookmaking operation, then collected bets and made pay-offs at local bars and restaurants. When it came time to pay their losses or collect their winnings, the special agents and investigators would meet Armbright at Quincy's bar on Commerce Boulevard in Rohnert Park, where the money would change hands.

On Wednesday, special agents arranged to meet Armbright to pay off their losses. After the exchange took place he was arrested and booked into the Sonoma County jail. Agents also executed a search warrant, at Armbright's residence where they discovered bookmaking paraphernalia, ledgers containing detailed records of bets made and winners paid, parlay cards and betting line records. Also discovered were extensive customer lists containing names, telephone numbers and each gambler's general betting amounts.

Armbright, who works for the Sonoma County Probation Department as a juvenile counselor, was booked into the Sonoma County Jail and was released after paying $10,000 cash bail.

The prosecution of Armbright will be handled by the Sonoma County District Attorney's Office, and an arraignment date has yet to be scheduled.

The Santa Rosa Police Department and the Northern California Computer Crimes Task Force also assisted in the investigation.

# # #

State of California Department of Justice Office of the Attorney General